462 TRANS. OF THE ACAD. OP SCIENCE. 



pletely covered with the pale green capillary leaves of this 

 species, 1-2 feet long. As the water recedes with the ad- 

 vancing dry season, the erect flowering stems begin to form, 

 and a little later the vestiges of the decayed vernal leaves 

 cover the remaining- mud with grayish spiderweb-like fila- 

 ments. The flowers are nearly 2 lines long, the (immature) 

 capsule is prismatic with concave sides; the seeds, too imper- 

 fect to make out their sculpture, were 0.27-0.30 line long, 

 large for the size, of the plant. 



This species is closely allied to J. supinus of Europe, whence 

 the name, and appears to stand next to its var. fluitans; but 

 that species has smaller flowers, with obtuse sepals, an obtuse 

 capsule, and smaller seeds. These characters, however, do 

 not seem to be quite constant, so that further examination of 

 more complete specimens will be necessary. 



38. J. Elliottii, Chapman Flor. South. St. 494: caulibus 

 (1-2-pedalibus) caspitosis erectis folia tenuialonge excedenti- 

 bus; panicula composita vel decompositasubpatente; capitulis 

 3-9-floris globulosis; sepalis ovato-lanceolatis acutissimis sequa- 

 libus stamina 3 tertia parte superantibus capsulam late ovatam 

 obtusam brevissime mucronulatam 1-locularem atrofuscam 

 lucidam fere sequantibus; antheris linearibus filamento vix 

 longioribus; ovario ovato obtuso stigmatibus subsessilibus 

 subinclusis fere aquilongo; seminibus oblanceolatis fusiformi- 

 bus utrinque attenuatis rufo-fuscis areis lsevibus reticulatis. 



From North Carolina, Ca/iby, to South Carolina, Jlavenelj 

 Beyrich (distributed under the name J. acicminatus),Y\orida, 

 Chajyman, Hb. norm. 54, Alabama, Sullivant, and southern 

 Mississippi, E. Hilgard. — Many slender stems spring from a 

 short rhizoma, which bears numerous long fibrous rootlets 

 (under water?) ; panicle usually 3-4 inches long, with a few 

 principal branches; fruit-heads (from the broad, blunt capsules) 

 obtuse, 2 or 2$ lines in diameter; flowers 1.0-1.2 lines long, 

 greenish, turning brown ; capsule usually very dark colored 

 and shining, rarely paler; seeds easily distinguished by their 

 dark color and slender form, mostly 23-0.27 line long and 

 one-third as much in diameter; 5 or 6 ribs quite conspicuous. 

 This is one of our earliest species, flowering in April and May. 

 The slender growth, the small, obtuse, dark colored heads and 

 dark seeds distinguish this plant at once, but whether Elliott's 

 J. acuminatus is the same as this, as Chapman suggests, or 

 whether it belongs to one of the forms of the next species, 

 does not appear from his insufficient description. 



39. J. acuminatus, Michx. 1, 192, non Gray, Man. nee auct. 

 Amer. plur.: caulibus eajspitosis plerumque erectis; panicula 

 effusa plus minus composita; capitulis pauci-vel multifloris 

 pallidis saepe demuni stramineo-fuscatis ; sepalis lanceolato- 



